Valve for liquid reservoirs and particularly for water closets with water control means



Jan. 20, 1959 VALVE FOR LIQu CH- ET AL 2,869,141

G. 0 ID RE ERVOIRS AND PARTICULARLY FOR WATER CLOSETS WITH WATER CONTROL MEANS Fiied April 5, 1955 34 INVENTORS ROYHL G, KOCH HOWHRD O SPHULD/NG H r TQRNE YS VALVE FOR LIQUID RESERVOIRS AND PAR- TICULARLY FOR WATER CLOSETS WITH WATER CONTROL MEANS Royal G. Koch, Farmingdale, and Howard 6. Spaulding; Hempstead, N. Y.

Application April 5, 1955, Serial N 0. 499,288

22 Claims. (Cl. 4-56) The invention relates to a valve mechanism for a reservoir such as a water closet and relates particularly to a valve mechanism which is adjustable to vary the amount of water discharged from the reservoir. The invention also relates to the combination of a water closet and discharge valve having means for adjusting the amount of discharge of water from the reservoir when the discharge valve is opened. In particular the air in the chamber of the discharge valve is vented by a vent valve which is adjustable from the exterior of the reservoir and controls the time of closing of the discharge valve.

It is an object of the invention to construct a discharge valve for a reservoir which has an adjustablevent valve associated therewith which can be mounted upon the exterior of the reservoir to control the amount of water discharged from the reservoir.

A further object of the invention is to construct a valve mechanism or combination of a new and novel discharge valve by which the amount of water discharged from a reservoir may be adjusted or selected at any time.

Another object of the invention is to construct a water closet with discharge valve of new and novel form by means of which convenient adjustment of the amount of water discharged from the water closet can be made.

Another object is to construct a valve mechanism by which the quantity of water discharged can be selected as desired and which mechanism is inexpensive to make.

A still further object is to construct a valve mechanism as above which can be easily installed by anyone.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments thereof in which:

Figure 1 is a view of a discharge valve mounted within a water closet and having an adjustable vent valve which attaches to the reservoir wall;

Figure 2 is a partial sectional view of the water closet reservoir and the vent valve bracket and flattened tube;

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the vent valve; and

Figure 4 illustrates a connection with the top of a discharge valve opening tube.

The valve mechanism is designed to control the amount of liquid discharged from a reservoir and particularly the reservoir of a water closet. The invention however is applicable to reservoirs generally. In water closets, the open top of the reservoir is closed with a cover ll so that it is desirable that the discharge of water he controllable from the exterior. Applicant accomplishes this exterior control by mounting a vent valve on the outer wall of the reservoir. The reservoir has any type of operating means to open or raise the discharge valve off of the valve seat 12 at the discharge pipe 13. The operating means illustrated includes a pivoted handle 14 having an arm 15 within the reservoir and a connection or link 16 between the arm and a discharge valve. As is customary in water closets an inlet water valve is provided which is controlled by a float.

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The valve mechanism includes a discharge valve 20 which usually is of flexible material such as rubber or plastic and is hollow to form an inner chamber 21. The chamber has an opening 22 at the bottom which is smaller than the discharge pipe or discharge valve seat 12. The discharge valve has a means 23, such as a threaded insert or bushing, in which is threaded or adapted to be threaded an opening rod, tube 24 or the like which provides a connection between the valve operating means and the discharge valve. The means 23 is shown as a tube as will appear more fully hereinafter.

A. vent valve 26 is mounted or retained on the Wall of the reservoir and for existing water closets lacking a hole, this valve will be mounted exteriorly of the wall. Suitable means secure the vent valve to the wall, that illustrated being a U-shaped bracket 27 having a thumb screw received in a threaded hole 29 for clamping the bracket to the wall. The bracket may have a central slot 35. With the vent valve on the outer wall of the reservoir there is a tube means 32 secured to the bracket in any suitable manner such as in the slot 35 by grooves 39 in the bracket and tongues 31 received therein. This tube means 32 passes between the cover and the top edge of the reservoir. Preferably this tube means is flat so that it does not take much vertical space and is preferably rigid or relatively so, so that the cover may rest thereupon and the tube not be closed by the pressure of the cover thereon. With the vertical dimension of the tube means being the same as or less than the thickness of the bracket, the cover rests on the bracket. A vent passage is provided from the interior of the reservoir to the exterior through the flattened tube means. This connection avoids the need of a hole through or groove in the reservoir wall or excessively raising the cover above the top edge of the reservoir. It also enables the vent valve to be used with existing reservoirs without change. Preferably too, the edges of the slot of the bracket are received in grooves carried by the tube means and formed by the tongues 31. Preferably the tube means engages the bottom 36 of the slot to retain the tube means in alignment with the bracketwhere it passes over the reservoir wall. Preferably too the outer end of the tube means has a foot 38 which is received in and braced by the slot which is on the exterior leg of the bracket.

The vent valve has at least two adjustable or selected positions providing at least two different conditions of venting. In the construction particularly illustrated there are six positions beginning from that numbered 6, as indicated by the indicia on the cover plate '70, in which there is no vent opening or the vent valve is completely closed. Positions 1 to 5 inclusive are progressively decreasing sizes of vent orifices or openings 33 in a valve plate 34 so that the venting of air through the small hole of position 5 takes a longer period or time interval as compared with position 1 which has a large vent opening and vents air therethrough rapidly. A more detailed description of the vent valve particularly illustrated and its operation will be given hereinafter. Any other form of vent valve for adjusting the size of the vent orifice or opening for each position provided is contemplated.

A connection is made between the vent valve or particularly the inner end of the flat tube means 32 and the chamber 21 of the discharge valve 20 which connection includes a flexible tuze 37. The flexible tube in the construction particularly illustrated extends from the inner end of the flattened tube means directly to a vent connection 22 carried by the discharge valve and connected with the chamber of the discharge valve. The

flexible tube permits the discharge valve to move freely in its opening and closing movement andyet connects the chamber therein with the vent valve fixed upon the neearer reservoir wall. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 4, the lifting rod or tube 24 is shown as a tube connected with the chamber in the discharge valve so that the end of the flexible tube 37 may be connected with the end 38 thereof if desired to form part of the connection between the chamber of the discharge valve and the vent valve. In such event the connection at the discharge valve is dispensed with. The flexible tube extends then from the tubular lifting rod or tube to the end of the tube means of the vent valve. When the connection is as illustrated in Fig. 1 the lift rod may be solid or if tubular is plu ged in any suitable manner.

In operation the discharge valve is o ened by pressing the handle 14 which raises the lever attached thereon, the lifting rod or tube 24 and in turn raises the discharge valve from the valve seat 12 at the outlet nine 13. With the vent valve in position 6 in whichdhere is no vent opening provided, the discharge valve will maintain buoyancy until all or practically all of the water in the reservoir has been discharged whereupon suction pulls the discharge valve onto the seat to close the discharge opening. If the vent valve is moved or adjusted to a position such as position 5 in which a small vent opening is provided and the discharge valve is opened, the air in the chamber of the discharge valve vents out through the vent valve at a slow rate and the chamber of the dlscharge valve slowly fills with water from the reservoir through the bottom opening 22. Before the reservoir is completely dischar ed of water. the chamber of the discharge valve has filled with sufi'icient water to have lost its buoyancy so that it sinks and closes the outlet pipe 13 before the reservoir is completely or substantially emoty. Adjusting the vent valve to position 1, which provides the maximum sized vent opening, the air trapped in the discharge valve chamber is expelled or vented quickly so that it fills quickly with water so that the discharge valve loses its buoyancy quickly whereupon it sinks and closes the discharge opening after a minimum amount of water has been discharged from the reservoir. It will be clear therefore that the size of the vent opening determines the period of time in which the air is expelled from within the chamber of the discharge valve and determines the time within which it fills sufficiently with Water to lose its buoyancy whereupon it sinks and closes the discharge opening.

By selecting the desired position or vent opening in the vent valve, the amount of water discharged from the reservoir can be controlled or selected at will and easily, simply by turning the adjusting knob. The water or stored liquid saved thereby can be considerable. In

times of water shortages the saving can be important in conserving water and in the cost of pumping liquid f this is a factor. Also it is beneficial if there are inadequate disposal facilities.

The vent valve particularly illustrated connects with opening 40 provided in the foot of the tube means 32. The vent valve includes a base 41, which may also serve as a ratchet plate secured to the bracket 27 by screws 42 which are received in screw holes 46. The base or ratchet plate has an air hole 43 therethrough which comes into alignment with the opening 40. Ring gaskets 44 surround the hole and prevent escape of air between parts or both faces of the base. The base has a center hole 45 therethrough.

The valve plate 34 is received against the face of the ratchet plate and rotatably mounted with respect thereto. It is resiliently held thereagainst by a. screw 49 and a flat spring 50. The screw passes through the center hole 45 of the base or ratchet plate, or particularly through a bushing 51 which is received in the center hole, through the valve plate and is threaded into a knob 52 which therefore serves as a nut as well. The knob has a square key 53 which is received in a square recess 54 in the vent valve plate so that it is rotated by turning the knob 52 to bring a selected vent opening 4 33 into alignment with the hole 43 in the ratchet plate.

Means are provided to ratchet the vent valve plate 34 whenever one of the vent openings is in alignment with the hole 43. This may take many different forms; that particularly illustrated includes a ball retainer 58 having holes 59 therein for receiving the ratchet balls 60. The ball retainer has a square hole 61 therein for receiving the square key 53 on the knob so that the ball retainer as well as the valve plate is rotated with the knob. The halls engage a series of ratchet grooves 62 around the edge of the ratchet plate to indicate that one of the vent openings is in alignment with the opening 43 and to resiliently or releasably retain the valve plate in that position. Preferably the knob carries a stop 63 which engages the shoulders 64 and 65 on the periphery of the ratchet plate to limit the extent of movement or rotation of the knob and hence of the valve plate 34. A recess 66 on the ratchet plate receives and aids in retaining the spring 50 against rotation.

The vent valve parts are received within the bore 69 of the knob so that the latter also serves as a concealing housing for the vent valve parts. An indicia plate 70 fits over the bracket 27 and contains indicia showing the position for each vent opening of the vent valve. An arrow 71 on the periphery of the knob is brought into alignment with the selected position indicated by the numbers on the indicia plate.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in a valve for liquid reservoirs and particularly for water closets with water control means. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. Hence, it will be understood that this disclosure is illustrative of preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form by explaining the construction, operation and advantages thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve mechanism for a reservoir having walls such as a water closet having valve opening means comprising valve means including at least a discharge valve having a chamber therein and an opening into the chamber at the bottom thereof. and means carried by the discharge valve to which a valve openin means is adapted to be connected: a vent valve including a fixed member and a movable member having at least two ditferent positions. one of said members having a port and the other member having an opening cooperating with the port at least at one position thereby providing a different venting condition at each position, means carried by the vent valve to secure the vent valve to the wall of a reservoir and on the outside of a reservoir. a rigid tube means connected with the vent valve and having a length and form to extend with an end within the reservoir. and a connection between the u er end of the chamber and the end of the rigid tube means of the vent valve including a flexible tube.

2. A valve mechanism as in claim 1 in which the discharge valve carries a vent connection with its chamber, and a flexible tube attached to the vent connection of the dischar e tube and connectin the upper end of the chamher in the discharge valve with the vent valve 3. A valve mechanism for a reservoir such as a water closet having a cover and valve opening means compris- .ing valve means including at least a discharge valve having a chamber therein and an opening into the chamber at the bottom thereof. and means carried by the discharge valve to which a valve o ening means is adapted to be connected; a vent valve including a fixed member and a movable member having at least two difierent positions, one of said members having a port and the other member having an opening cooperating with the port at least at one position thereby providing a different venting condition at each position, a fiat tube of rigid material connected with the vent valve and adapted to pass between shearer the reservoir and cover, means to retain the vent valve upon the outside of a reservoir, and a connection between the upper end of the chamber and the flat tube including a flexible tube connected with the flat tube.

4. A valve mechanism for a reservoir such as a water closet having a cover and valve opening means comprising a discharge valve having a chamber open at the bottom thereof, and means carried by the discharge valve to which a valve opening means is adapted to be connected; a vent valve including a fixed member and a movable member having at least two different positions and having an opening at least at one position thereby providing a different venting condition at each position, a flat tube of rigid material connected with the vent valve and adapted to pass between the reservoir and cover, means to retain the vent valve upon the outside of a reservoir, and a flexible connection between the upper end of the chamber and the fiat tube.

5. A valve mechanism as in claim 4 in which the vent valve has a plurality of diflerent positions greater than two and has an opening at each position but one and each opening being of different size.

6. A valve mechanism for a reservoir such as a water closet having valve opening means comprising valve means including a discharge valve having a chamber therein and an opening into the chamber at the bottom thereof, and a lifting tube carried by the discharge valve and connected with the chamber, and having means adapted to be engaged by the valve opening means to raise the lifting tube; a vent valve including a fixed member and a movable member having at least two different positions and having an opening at least at one position thereby providing a different venting condition at each position, means to retain the vent valve upon the outside of a reservoir, a rigid tube means connected with the vent valve and having a length and form to extend with an end within the reservoir, and a flexible connection be- .tween the lifting tube and the end of the rigid tube means of the vent valve.

7. A valve mechanism for a reservoir such as a water closet having discharge valve opening means comprising valve means including at least a discharge valve having a chamber therein and an opening into the chamber at the bottom thereof, and means carried by the discharge valve to which a valve opening means is adapted to be connected; a vent valve including a base and a fixed valve member having a port, tube means carried by the base and connected with the port of the fixed valve member, a valve plate rotatably mounted on the base in cooperative relation with the fixed valve member, the valve plate having at least two different positions and having a vent opening at least at one position providing a different venting condition at each position, means to retain the vent valve upon the outside of a reservoir, and a connection between the upper end of the chamber and the tube means including a flexible tube.

8. A valve mechanism as in claim 7 including a knob connected with the valve plate to rotate the same and having a bore in which the base and valve plate are received.

9. A valve mechanism as in claim 7 including ratchet grooves carried by the base for each position of the valve plate, and ratchet means engaging the ratchet grooves.

10. A valve mechanism as in claim 7 including a knob connected with the valve plate to rotate the same and having a bore, a ball retainer between the knob and the valve plate and rotated by the knob and having at least one ball hole therein, a ball in each ball hole, ratchet grooves carried by the base, the ball retainer and valve plate and base being received in the bore of the knob, and spring means rotatably securing the knob to the base.

ll. A valve mechanism as in claim 7 in which the means to retain the vent valve upon the reservoir includes a U-shaped bracket having a slot therein, and the tube means being received in the slot.

12. A vcnt valve for a discharge valve for a water closet having a reservoir comprising a base, tube means connected with the base adapted to pass over the top of the reservoir, a valve plate rotatably mounted on the base and having at least two different positions and having a vent opening at least at one position providing a different venting condition at each position, U-shaped bracket means having depending portions and a horizontal portion and secured to the base to retain the vent valve upon the reservoir, and means carried by the bracket to retain the tube means adjacent thereto.

13. A vent valve as in claim 12 in which the means to retain the tube means adjacent the bracket includes a central slot in the horizontal portion of the bracket means, and the tube means being received in the slot.

14. A vent valve as in claim 12 including a knob rotatably secured to the base and having a bore therein, and the base and valve plate being received within the bore of the knob.

15. A vent valve as in claim 12 in which the means to retain the tube means adjacent the bracket includes a central slot in the bracket means, the tube means being received in the central slot, and a knob ro-tatably secured to the base and having a bore therein, and the base and valve plate being received within the bore of the knob.

16. A vent valve as in claim 15 including ratchet means for each position of the vent valve, and the ratchet means being received in the bore of the knob.

17. In a water closet comprising a reservoir having walls and a removable cover, valve opening means carried by the reservoir; valve means including at least a discharge valve having a chamber therein and an opening into the chamber at the bottom thereof, and means carried by the discharge valve to which the valve opening means is connected; a vent valve including a fixed member and a movable member having at least two different positions, one of said members having a port and the other member having an opening cooperating with the port at least at one position thereby providing a diflerent venting condition at each position, means to retain the vent valve upon the reservoir wall and on the outside of the reservoir, a rigid tube means connected with the vent valve and passing between the top of the reservoir wall and the cover and having an end within the reservoir, and a connection between the upper end of the chamber and the end of the rigid tube means Within the reservoir including a flexible tube.

18. In a water closet as in claim 17 in which the discharge value carries a vent connection and the flexible tube is connected directly with the vent connection of the discharge valve.

19. In a water closet comprising a reservoir having walls and a cover, valve opening means carried by the res ervoir, valve means including at least a discharge valve having a chamber therein and an opening into the. chamber at the bottom thereof, and means carried by the dis charge valve to which the valve opening means is connected; a vent valve including a fixed member and a movable member having at least two different positions, one of said members having a port and the other member having an opening cooperating with the port at least at one position thereby providing a different venting condi tion at each position, a flat tube of rigid material connected with the vent valve and adapted to pass between the reservoir and cover, means to retain the vent valve upon the outside of a reservoir, and a connection between the upper end of the chamber and the flat tube including a flexible tube connected with the fiat tube.

20. In a water closet comprising a reservoir having walls and a cover, valve opening means carried by the reservoir, valve means including at least a discharge valve having a chamber therein and an opening into the chamher at the bottom thereof, and a lifting tube carried by the discharge valve to which the valve opening means is connected; a vent valve including a fixed member and a movable member having at least two difierent positions, one of said members having a port and the other member having an opening cooperating with the port at least at one position thereby providing a different venting condition at each position, a fiat tube of rigid material connected with the vent valve and adapted to pass between the reservoir and cover, means to retain the vent valve upon the outside of a reservoir, and a flexible tubular connection between the lifting tube and the fiat tube.

21. A closet flush tank and valve comprising, in combination, a tank, n cans for partially filling said tank to a fixed refill level, a discharge outlet in the bottom thereof having an annular valve seat Within the tank adjacent the tank bottom, a hollow valve ball of a diameter greater than said seat adapted to engage said seat to close said outlet, said ball having an aperture in the bottom thereof of a diameter less than the diameter of said seat to admit air into said ball and render the same buoyant when lifted from said seat, means for guiding said ball for vertical movement in substantially axial alignment with said seat, manually operable means for lifting said ball from said seat, a port in the upper Wall of said ball, a flexible tube connecting said port to atmosphere in the upper region of said tank, means for supporting the upper end of said tube within the tank and above said refill level and means for metering the flow of air through said tube, whereby to allow air to escape from said ball to destroy the buoyancy thereof after a predetermined period.

22. A valve ball assembly for a closet flush tank comprising a hollow ball having an upper portion and a lower valve seat engaging portion, said lower portion having an aperture, to admit air into the ball to render the same buoyant when submerged and unseated in a flush tank, a. port in the upper portion of said ball, a flexible conduit means connecting with said port at one end and bracket means adapted to support the free end of said tube for exhausting air from said ball to atmosphere to admit water into said ball through the bottom aperture to destroy the buoyancy thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 379,159 Harkins Mar. 6, 1888 614,648 DEste et al Nov. 22, 1898 914,067 Osborn Mar. 2, 1909 2,422,237 Hansen et al June 17, 1947 

